Three Rivers Health Sleep Discorder Center receives Accreditation

The Three Rivers Health Sleep Disorder Center recently received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
To receive accreditation, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional health care as designated by the AASM. These standards address core areas such as personnel, facility and equipment, policies and procedures, data acquisition, patient care, and quality assurance.  Additionally, the sleep center’s goals must be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of medical care in the community it serves.
The Three Rivers Health Sleep Disorder Center is now one of over 2,500 AASM-accredited sleep centers across the country.
According to Katie Doehrman, RRT, RPSGT, “Accreditation by the AASM signifies the achievement of higher standards of sleep disorder management that the Three Rivers Health Sleep Disorder Center delivers. It proves our commitment to providing our community with high-quality health care.”
“It is an honor to be able to serve our patients in the community especially in the area of sleep medicine,” added Kim Westfall, BA, RRT, Manager Cardiopulmonary and Medical Imaging.
Millions of people suffer from sleep disorders and many of these people do not seek help. They may think that eventually the problem will go away or that help is not available. Sleep is an important body function and should be as much a priority as exercise and healthy eating. Anyone suffering from a sleep disorder should seek help from a doctor. Three Rivers Health Sleep Disorder Center is available to provide care to anyone who thinks he/she may have a sleep disorder.
One of the most common sleep disorders is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). According to the AASM, it is now estimated that 26 percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 70 years have sleep apnea. OSA causes a person to have pauses in breathing repeatedly during sleep due to the airway being blocked by the soft tissues in the back of the throat. Most often, the person is not aware it is happening, but may have been told by others that he/she snores loudly. If left untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and other major health issues, even death. OSA also contributes to numerous accidents and injuries per year due to drowsy driving.
Serving the Three Rivers area for over 100 years, Three Rivers Health has offered its patients and community technology-driven care, including a wide array of inpatient, rehabilitation, outpatient, wellness, hospice care, and specialty clinic services. To discover more about Three Rivers Health, call 269.278.1145 or visit trhealth.org.